Tony Bennett - Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 5 (Missing Alternate Takes)

NEW LINK - 26 JULY 2022

Volume 5 focuses on alternate takes to previously issued commercial recordings found on the boxed set. All of these have been already issued on LP or CD but are often hard to find and most haven’t ever been officially identified by the record companies as alternates. In fact, there may be more of these out there, undetected… I’ll keep hunting!

The collection begins with “Sold To The Man With A Broken Heart,” a late-50’s single that can be found on disc #6 of the big box. However, another version was found with a slightly different arrangement without “auctioneer” accompaniment. Listen to the original released recording and you will understand. To me, it’s actually a big improvement over the annoying auctioneer barking!

“Taking A Chance On Love” was recorded with Count Basie Orchestra for the IN PERSON! fake-live in Philadelphia album actually recorded in a New York studio. The recording was used on the famous I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANSISCO compilation album. An alternate take was discovered by an alert Bennett fan on the monophonic pressing of the LP, sporting a very different vocal from the stereo version.

Next we have two songs from the Ralph Sharon piano solo collaboration album TONY SINGS FOR TWO.  “Skylark” was recorded for that great 1959 LP but not used and was issued for the very first time on the FORTY YEARS: ARTISTRY box set, the first major Bennett retrospective, released in 1991.The song appears in the big boxed set as a bonus track added to the original 12-track song sequence but this version is a different take that can be found on the first CD edition of SINGS FOR TWO from the early 90’s. The annotation for that CD indicates that the recording was previously released on the FORTY YEARS box but that is false. It is a completely different alternate take.

An alternate take of “The Man That Got Away,” from the same album, was discovered on that same FORTY YEARS: ARTISTRY boxed set. This track, like the version of “Skylark,” has NEVER been identified by Columbia as an alternate take on any of these releases. It is unknown whether they were issued on purpose or if somebody erred when pulling the recordings from the Columbia vaults.

“The Rules of the Road” with the Ralph Sharon Trio is an alternate take different from version issued on WHEN LIGHTS ARE LOW. This take comes from the ESSENTIAL TONY BENNETT CD, issued in 2002. “Who Cares?” was recorded for but not included on the original FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE album from 1967. The box adds it as the 11th (bonus) track. A slightly different version was discovered on a CD called GREAT AMERICAN COMPOSERS: GEORGE & IRA GERSHWIN and it starts with a previously absent big band opening which was obviously eliminated on the finished record, first released on the FORTY YEARS box.

“Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love)” apparently has more than one alternate take floating around. The song, as released, can be found in the box on disc #47 GREATEST HITS VOLUME 7. This here version has an alternate vocal and was ripped from THE BEST OF TONY BENNETT CD on Curb records. It’s a real "stick out" because Tony sings the culturally insensitive "...and that's why Chinks do it... Japs do it.” I have recently learned that the vinyl LP issue of GREATEST HITS VOLUME 7 has a third vocal take of “Let‘s Do It”! Supposedly the last chorus is the usual "Shallow Shoals... English souls" and eliminates the politically incorrect words and he ends on a pleasant, smooth note instead of the strained high note ending on the other two versions.Unfortunately, I have not yet found that recording so it is not included here. That would make three different versions of the recording. All are 2:11 in length which makes one believe that the orchestra track was pre-recorded and Tony did his thing over it. [new info: I have finally listened to the vinyl version mentioned above and it it NOT another take... it is the same one found on the CD boxed set. Therefore, only one alternate take was released.]

“There’s Always Tomorrow” has a different vocal than the released version and was issued on an Improv 45rpm single. The music was composed by Torrie Zito (lyrics by Sammy Cahn) and was Tony's "theme" for a year in 1976 and was the 1976 theme song for The United Way charity on TV spots starring Bennett. This version is a different take than the one found on the box, concluding with the singer’s signature "big voice" ending. On the CD it is a much more reserved closing.

Tracks #9-13 are alternate takes from second Bill Evans album, TOGETHER AGAIN, issued on the Concord Jazz CD COMPLETE TB/BILL EVANS RECORDINGS. The box contains all the issued alternate takes from the first Bennett/Evans album, but not the second.

The final three selections (#14-16) were recorded for THE ART OF EXCELLENCE, Tony’s comeback album in 1986. It is an interesting anomaly that these three takes were issued only on the original CD release of this album. Subsequent reissues include alternate versions of these three tracks, even this box. “Everybody Has The Blues“ is a duet with Ray Charles and the original differs greatly on the vocals. “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” sports a somewhat different vocal. “The Day You Leave Me” is an alternate vocal with different orchestral elements including an alternate sax solo.Again, the original takes are ONLY available on the initial 1986 CD issue of ART OF EXCELLENCE.

1. Sold To The Man With A Broken Heart (rec. January 19, 1957)
2. Taking A Chance On Love (rec. December 30, 1958) from vinyl source
3. Skylark (rec October 28, 1959)
4. The Man That Got Away (rec October 28, 1959)
5. The Rules of the Road  (rec. February 26, 1964
6. Who Cares? (rec. July 18, 1967)
7. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) (re. June 19, 1973)
8. There's Always Tomorrow (rec. 1976) from 45rpm vinyl source
9. A Child Is Born  (take #2) rec. September, 1976
10. You Don't Know What Love Is (take #16) September, 1976
11. Maybe September (take #8) September, 1976
12. You Must Believe In Spring (take #1) September, 1976
13. Who Can I Turn To (take #6) September, 1976
14. Everybody Has The Blues (rec. 1985)
15. How Do You Keep The Music Playing? (rec. January, 1986)
16. The Day You Leave Me (rec. January, 1986)

All above ripped from CD sources unless otherwise indicated
Arrangers: Percy Faith (#1), Ralph Sharon (#2,3,4) and Ralph Sharon Trio (#5), John Bunch (#6), Torrie Zito (#7,8), Bill Evans (#9-13),  Jorge Calandrelli (#14-16)